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Oregon weather: Snow will continue to fall into the evening, and could increase, forecasters say

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Pockets of freezing rain show up as orange on this winter mosaic Dopper radar image. Forecasters say expect to see more of the same as the air mass over the region begins to get warmer and wetter through the weekend.
(weathertap.com)

By 3 p.m. an additional 6 inches of snow had fallen in Corvallis, according to storm reports.

Round 3 will arrive Saturday and bring with it the chance for freezing rain.

Freezing rain already has been reported falling at the higher elevations around Eugene as warmer air off the Pacific begins to nose into the region, said Jeremiah Pyle, a forecaster for the National Weather Service in Portland.

On Saturday, freezing rain could drop on about a foot of snow in places to the south, including Eugene, Salem and Corvallis -- before it moves up the Willamette Valley to the Portland metro area.

To that end, the weather service issued a winter storm warning for much of western Oregon that will remain in effect until 6 p.m. Saturday.

There is still some uncertainty about how far north Saturday afternoon’s weather system will come, but if and when it arrives in Portland it likely will come bearing snow, freezing rain and sleet before changing over to rain. The timing and amount of precipitation is still very much up in the air, Pyle said.

As with the weather systems Thursday and Friday, Saturday’s system won’t arrive until mid-day, with the prime threat from that wintry mix coming in the afternoon and evening.